Several of you asked for the recipe I will use for my sweet potato casserole on Thanksgiving. Technically it is a yam casserole because I went out and got Garnet Yams, as so many of you suggested. The recipe that is most similar to the old one I lost is by Sara Welch at Dinner at the Zoo.  The secret ingredients are brown sugar and maple syrup. Here it is:

Ingredients for casserole

• 2 lbs sweet potatoes  I used Garnet Yams
  
• 3 tablespoons butter melted
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for pecan topping

• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 5 tablespoons melted butter
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and place them on the pan in a single layer.
• Bake the potatoes until tender, 45 minutes to an hour.
• When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them open, scoop out the insides and place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl.
• Add the 3 tablespoons of melted butter, milk, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, egg and vanilla to the bowl.
• Use a potato masher or hand mixer to mash or beat the sweet potatoes until mostly smooth.
• Coat a 9 inch square pan or 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray.
• Spread the sweet potato mixture in an even layer in the pan.
• In another bowl, mix together the brown sugar, flour, melted butter and pecans until large crumbs form. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the sweet potatoes.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until topping is lightly browned.
• Let sit for 10 minutes, then serve.
  

Note:  When I used to make this casserole, I would bake the yams and assemble the casserole, minus the topping, the day before Thanksgiving. I would cover and refrigerate it until the next day. Before baking, I would remove it from the fridge for an hour or two, then uncover it, and top it with the pecan streusel. Bake as directed.